by RobertCummins | Jul 13, 2014 | 28. Between
Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; and you shall find rest for your souls. Jeremiah 6:16
Cease striving (find rest) and know that I am God. Psalm 46:10
Both of these verses are spoken in the context of God’s right and willingness to use His power and authority to bring desolation to nations (even His chosen one) for their rebellious and unholy lives. I mentioned earlier this week that there has always seemed to be, at least for me, a tension between the God of the Old Testament and that of the New. The OT God was a Holy King and a Righteous Judge wielding discipline aplenty. The NT God was Holy but reluctant to judge and was far more approachable and would even become our Father.
It seems that in the Old Testament God was revealing the holiness of His nature and the impossible gulf between that aspect of Himself and fallen humanity. The Old Testament was an incomplete yet essential part of what we had to know about God. It also exposed the human heart as incapable (and/or unwilling) to live in compliance to His ways.
The reason Jesus’ coming was good news is because He was the full and complete revelation of God to mankind. “He (Jesus) is the radiance of His (God’s) glory and the exact representation of His nature…” This NT God is approachable. He says, “Let the little children come to me“. I also asked earlier this week if God had changed between Malachi and Matthew. My answer is “no”. However, how much of Himself He was permitting man to to see did change between the Old and the New Testaments. It is worthy of a continual heart celebration that Jesus came as a mediator (1 Tim 2:5-6) bridging the impossible gulf between His holiness and our disqualifying lack of it.
In my meditation regarding “becoming” and looking into the concepts of ancient paths I am drawn back to the original thought that launched the Blue Book experiment which was the idea that much could be regained for our weary and busy souls in learning how to “wait on God” in our personal experience.
So, I am not drawn by today’s reflections back to the Old Covenant as the ancient path. However I am drawing upon an the older, more established pathway to “rest“; that being our straightforward command to “wait on God.” Waiting and resting are keynote themes of the Blue Book. Hearing back from many of you, I have been encouraged to learn that the BB is serving you to this end. So, even if our “waiting” is still (at this moment) just a “pause”, take courage; we can start there and begin moving along a pathway of increasing rest. Try “pressing on to know the Lord” by taking even more steps of “waiting” on Him. This very approachable God who is inviting us to draw near by simply recognizing the heart-to-heart reconnection He has established, is always saying, “Come to me little ones, no one is prohibiting you”.
So, how do I know if I am fully availing myself of the costly gift that Christ is offering me? My suggestion is that we should ask ourselves if there is a continual heart celebration within us over the good news of our reestablished union with God through Jesus. Can we say with Jude (24) that we are standing blamelessly in the presence of His glory with great joy?
Father, in your great patience and kindness, open our hearts to the marvelous opportunity you have given us to know You. Let us discover the “rest” you have provided. Let us each discover how inviting, how forgiving, how joyful and passionate You are. Let us become those who convey to the world just how secure Your children are as we rest in Your care and love. May our grace-filled hearts serve as a living appeal to this world of Your goodness. Without disregard to Your holiness, may our lives, in their joy and freedom, convey how approachable You are – dispelling any residual, incomplete, Old Testament impressions we have of You. Amen.
by RobertCummins | Jul 12, 2014 | 28. Between
Psalm 84:1-12
Longing, yearning and singing are overflowing from the heart of this psalmist. This is “exclamation-point” worship; How lovely! How blessed! Oh Lord hear! Is this the tone of our worship? Do you believe this passage of scriptures was intended to convey the historical account of an exceptional worshipper or rather to convey the contemporary opportunity to personally be an exceptional worshipper?
This psalmist is consumed with the beauty of God’s dwelling place – the Temple; a place with courts that abut the dwelling place of God – the inner sanctuary – the Holy of Holies, where only specially appointed priests entered after having undergone prescribed rites of purification. “A day in Thy courts is better than a thousand outside. I would rather stand at the threshold of my God...” This worshipper offered their exclamation point worship while just lingering near the entrance to God’s holy dwelling place.
Recently, a friend commented that I seemed to have a preference to the New Testament over the Old. The comment put me on my heals a bit. But, after some thought, I had to be honest; I do. And..this psalm reminds me why. This Old Covenant worshipper was only permitted to come as far as the threshold. We are now permitted to cross that threshold and enter into the Holy of Holies. And we are invited to do it with boldness! (Check out Hebrews 4:16, 7:1-9:28) Scripture tells us that saints of old, their prophets and even angels were longing to understand this covenant that would some day come. This idea of going into the most holy dwelling place of God was unthinkable in this psalmist’s day; unregenerate man would have perished immediately in God’s Holy presence. And yet here we are, partakers. If the Old Covenant produced exclamation points, what type of worship should the New Covenant produce in us?
Verse 24 of Jude says it well. ” Now to Him, who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, …”
Father, may there be a growing abundance of joyful exclamations points in our hearts as we learn to abide in You; and in the glories of this newer covenant that permits us as children to presume continually upon Your steadfast love and enjoy Your Presence. O Lord, let us be a people who have crossed over the threshold with hearts filled with boldness and joy. And, as Moses face was alight with Your life, may we too live brightly, consuming the shadows of our dark surroundings. Amen.
by RobertCummins | Jul 11, 2014 | 28. Between
I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry. For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing. 2 Timothy 4:1-8
Few things are more precious than words born of love. They are usually the distillation of much thought and consideration. They are often saved up to be spoken at just the right time and place. The conveyor yearns to impart whatever they might have stored up in their heart in order to bring as much blessing as they can into the life of their beloved. That is the flavor of this ultra-personal letter from Paul to Timothy, his beloved and cherished spiritual son.
The yearning in this letter is accentuated by the fact that its author is awaiting execution. Paul’s circumstances no doubt brought all his considerable intellect and heart into razor sharp focus for this time and place; “I solemnly charge you (by practically everything that Paul deemed holy) to preach the word.” Note; I believe for Paul the idea of preaching included all those occasions where truth was employed to intentionally confront darkness. This is much more than a well prepared message designed to flow from pulpit to pew. Preaching included; reproofs, rebukes, exhortations and instruction, all to be done with great patience. I envision it happening in scheduled events but even more so in the impromptu situations that naturally arose in the daily flow of life and relationship.
Spiritual father’s have been further down the trail than their sons. Paul has seen diabolical, Satanic efforts to dilute the words and teachings of Jesus through things as innocent looking as myths and traditions; those aberrations of the fallen imagination that become lodged in individuals and cultures, influencing the discernment of truth and reality. These “imaginations”, which we are told must be “cast down”, lure people off the narrow trail on which Christ would lead them. All of these offshoots from the main path lead people to bad endings in their lives. Paul has seen this and has set his heart on finishing well and helping others do the same. And, as a spiritual father, he is especially jealous that Timothy cross his finish line in full-stride. Do you have a Paul or two in your life? Do you have any Timothy’s?
In this race that we are running, what is it that separates winners and losers; runners and plodders; passionate ones from indifferent ones? I believe Paul’s words allow us to peek into his heart for our answer. Paul was focused on the prize; a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge will award to him on that day. Paul was motivated to endure hardship and await his death (crossing the finish line) because he was focused on a reward he felt far outweighed the modest costs he had incurred. Is this crown which is to be awarded by God Himself, serving as motivation to us? Are we running with this motive toward our finish line? I am proposing that it is our motives that keep our engines running and that steer our course; those secret things in our hearts which are our treasures, our hidden agendas. My reasoning then is that; in a kingdom of light where the secrets of men will become known I believe motives matter. Again….
Watch over your hearts (your motivational engine) with all diligence because everything in your lives is a direct byproduct. (My paraphrase of Proverbs 4:23)
(My prayer from Psalm 139: 23-24) Search me oh God and know my heart. Try me and know my anxious thoughts and see if there be any hurtful way in me and lead me in the everlasting way.
It strikes me that the scriptures themselves are much like Paul’s letter to Timothy. They are God’s letter to us, His beloved. They represent the distillation of thoughts that He had stored up and voiced at just the right time and place for us. God’s great heart and considerable intellect were brought into razor sharp focus in His Word so that we too will stay in the race and cross our finish lines.
Father, we invite your Spirit to awaken us to see where we are in our race. We ask that You would alert us to any myths we have bought into effecting the choices we are making as we run. And may You also awaken us to your solemn charge to share Your words in living, loving and natural ways to those around us; to those we are being charged to love and encourage. Help us to find our stride. Amen.
by RobertCummins | Jul 10, 2014 | 28. Between
The following are thoughts provoked by Lamentations 3:19-33. If you will take the time to read this beautiful yet mysterious passage, you will have a better appreciation for this post. Jeremiah’s words brought Psalm 139 to mind which, after meeting Christ, contained the first renewing realities that penetrated my heart about who God was. Some of the major themes are His vast knowledge verses my very limited knowledge and His intimate awareness of me throughout all my days. Verse 5 and 6 capture much of the psalmist’s revelation.
“Thou hast enclosed me behind and before, and laid Thy hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is too high, I cannot attain to it.”
This passage in Lamentations highlights just how thin the air is at the altitude where God resides. Not too long ago I attempted to climb my first 14,000 ft mountain. The elevation change from Oklahoma to this Colorado summit was approximately two miles. As I approached this peak I was so dizzy I could not maintain my balance. It was too much for me. I had to abandon my ascent. To regain my equilibrium I had to descend to lower altitude. It was humbling and sad.
The experience caused me to think; I wonder how many of us head back down to lower elevations when we encounter the knowledge of God in the scriptures (or the ways of God in life) that are beyond our comfort zones in an attempt to maintain our rational equilibrium. The idea that God says and does things that do not make sense is unacceptable to us, so we retreat back to lower elevations where we can nurse our illusions that God is a reasonable being (much like us but more so) where our ideas about Him are more logical and useful to us in sustaining the manageable lives we have worked out for ourselves.
This passage highlights an aspect of God that can make us dizzy; that God causes grief and He offers compassion. Our minds spin as we wrestle with this apparent inconsistency. To restore our equilibrium we can simply set aside half of the paradox and form our beliefs, embracing what is to us, the more intellectually agreeable aspects of His nature. Probably none of us are exempt in this error, particularly in western culture where knowledge is our king and logic and reason are our servants.
I mentioned recently the value of having a Father-filtered heart. This has helped me so much in dealing with the paradoxes about God. For example, as I read this passage, I acknowledge the apparent inconsistency of God; that He causes both grief and offers compassion. But today, as I refer ideas to God, my Father, I do not hear an emphasis on causing grief. I hear, “I do not afflict or grieve willingly but even if I do, I will offer abundant lovingkindness. Out of My faithfulness, I will have a fresh supply for you each day when you awake.”
As the Father has cleansed my heart, I have had to open a new file that I have labeled “Mysteries”. This is where I can store away my questions and entrust matters to Him where my revelation is not exhaustive; only sufficient. This file is essential and it is growing since it is not really rational that fallen men should have systematic and exhaustive knowledge of an eternal and holy Being. My “Mystery” file is helping me to let God be God. Do to …..
….the depths of the riches both of His wisdom and His knowledge I must acknowledge that His judgements and His ways are unfathomable.
So now when I encounter a miracle (or the prospect of one) which defies the odds or offends my reasoning, I can gratefully return to my Psalm 139 foundation and say, “OK, Father, I don’t get it.” I may not even like it. But…I am enclosed (even in my ignorance) in my loving, capable Father’s trustworthy hands.
Father, I don’t have all the answers but I am inclined to dream and to pray that we will abandon our insistence on fitting You into our many rational boxes. And, rather than remaining at this altitude where we are so divided in our understanding, I pray that we might ascend together to that place where we are unified, not in our knowledge, but rather in our faith. Let us not descend when it first appears that Your Word and Your ways seem too impossible. Help us to be steady of heart remembering that “You are good to those who wait for You and seek You. Amen.
by RobertCummins | Jul 9, 2014 | 28. Between
This is actually a continuation of the thoughts I expressed yesterday related to Matthew 14:22-33. I mentioned then that I wanted to talk more about being “between” from the vantage point of a “Father-filtered” heart. Please allow me to complete that thought……
Something different was going on in Peter than in the other 11 disciples who remained in the boat. It’s tempting to think that Peter’s brief experience of walking on water was just a fluky thing born out of his brash and compulsive nature. I don’t think so. I believe for a brief period of time Peter’s life was defying natural laws because in that space between the boat and the Lord, he was exercising an innocent “take-Jesus-at-His- word”, childlike faith that presumed that all things were truly possible with Him. I want that – don’t you?
Won’t it be a shock to discover some day, that from heaven’s perspective, that there for a brief moment on that lake, we were being given a glimpse of “normal” – an event we had just written off as an isolated one-off miracle that really had no bearing on us today. I don’t want that shock. I would guess you do not either.
After having found some lies lodged there I have come to think of my heart like a kind of filter – a “Father filter”. To care for my heart as I must and keep it clear for the Spirit to move in, it is essential that God remains in clear focus as my Father. I am not talking about a firm religious conviction that God is like a Father. I am talking about relating continually and presumptuously toward Him as my Father. I have discovered if I can live from this place, where His tone of voice is encouraging, not condemning; where I see His smile as opposed to a frown, I am more likely to hear His invitation to get out of the boat. And…. I am more inclined to responding positively.
Our perception of God is the most important thing about us. It determines more than anything how the issues of our lives will play out. (Prov 4:23). It also has a lot to do with what we see ourselves “between”. If we see Him as harsh, frustrated or angry we will likely see ourselves sinking down and overwhelmed by our circumstances – always between a rock and a hard place. If we see Him smiling saying, “Come now little one, you can do this.”, we will see ourselves between opportunities to know Him more intimately and we will find ourselves being transformed from glory to glory.
Father, may you clean out the filters of our hearts so that nothing would prohibit Your Spirit from accurately conveying to us Your tone of voice. May we, like Peter, join you in whatever the new “normal” might look like in Your ever expanding kingdom. When You bid us, “Come”, sustain us with that innocent childlike faith that Peter knew as He walked on water. Amen.
by RobertCummins | Jul 7, 2014 | 28. Between
Psalm 73
This psalm is a meditation on the indulgence in and the deliverance from envy. Asaph, the writer, in a confessional spirit, gives us a first-hand account of his battle with this formidable foe. Prior to his liberation, he claims that his wits had devolved to the level of a beast. He made a wise move though; he carried his trouble to God. There, as he worshipped in the sanctuary, he found his footing; everything came into focus. In the place of worship he learned that the objects of his envy were doomed (which perhaps drew some excessive celebration on Asaph’s part). Most importantly though, God was enlarged in his perception so as to become more than a sufficient compensation for any any grievous circumstance, regardless of the agent of cause.
Are battles with envy a familiar battleground to you? I confess that they have been to me. I was not at all honest in my heart about them though. In my first major skirmish with this enemy I think I too, in my heart, had devolved to the level of bestial perceptions.
When I was 37, I was outside the inner-circle of my immediate family watching my brother-in-law become the son my father never had. While I was on the cusp of realizing my personal vision of living a simple life and working with my hands within a close knit community of Christians, my brother in law was about to realize his dream of becoming a somebody in this world as the heir apparent to a construction company (owned by my Dad). My father needed a succession plan and my brother in law was “the guy” since I had vowed to never work for my Dad.
Like a beast, I had not really tracked how this vow had effectively driven my life. It had even infiltrated the formation of my idealistic, non-material objectives of which I was somewhat proud and self-righteous about. I did not perceive my true motives either until, like Asaph, in my bitterness, I too had been broken (or pierced as he has put it).
People often wonder why I just cannot seem to get away from the theme of suffering. It is because without the pressures of suffering God allowed (or created, I don’t know), I would still be living in deception as to why I had charted the course I had for my life. Without the pressures that came from my uncertain vocational path, the resulting financial vacuum, immediate and extended family pressures, a failing business, body, and vision, I do not believe that I would have ever seen my heart sufficiently and consequently would have not been able to take responsibility for it as I have been called to do.
Most painful of all to me, was the notion that my sovereign and good God was permitting (or causing) this! This was the straw that broke this camel’s back. I know that God as the cause agent of pressure is out of vogue in some schools of thought but I simply cannot side-step the fact that I was hurting and a sovereign God was deeply involved with redemptive purposes at all levels of my mess. Neither can I sidestep the fact that this appears in scripture (and in the testimony of those who have known Him intimately) to be how He brings sons into their glorious destinies. This includes Jesus who learned obedience through the things He suffered.
It was all I could do to maintain my sanity, trying to imagine that all my troubles were going to work out for the good since I was called by God and belonged to Him. Envy and bitterness were having a heyday in my heart. In my body, soul and spirit, I’m hanging by a thread while my brother in law is swinging from the big rope in circles way above my pay grade. Regarding this and a litany of other matters, my soul was screaming, “WHY GOD?!” The silence was deafening. I was actually developing a morbid curiosity; I was thinking, OK this may hurt but I will at least have a front row seat for the spectacular crash that is surely around the next bend.
My attitude was disastrous and I knew it. I had had enough dealings with God by this time to know Him as incredibly loving and faithful. With this backdrop, given my stinking attitude, I could even add shame to the weight of it all. I was crying out to the Lord, asking him, “Please do not let this season pass without showing me what it is you are after. Surely Lord I am a dumb beast. Lead me out of this valley. If possible lease prevent the crash that seems inevitable.”
God’s word of deliverence to me was not at all what I had expected. While I was chafing at the injustice of it all, wanting vindication from those who (I perceived) had marginalized and abused me, a scripture passage just stuck in my perception. It was Romans 12:18…..
If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.
I knew immediately that I had serious ought in my heart toward a few people. I was indignant at the abuse I believed I had suffered at the hand of these people. I perceived reconciliation happening between us when these two scoundrels returned to me with adequate repentance for their crimes. At the same time, I also knew that reconciliation was a priority with the Lord; that it was possible and that it depended on me , not them. I knew exactly what I was being asked to do and it was the most unfair unjust thing I could have ever imagined. A more impossible directive could not have been conceived! Yet, I knew I had some dying to do.
This would be a fair example of just how unlike our ways are compared to God’s. Restitution for any crimes (real or perceived) against me was to be between God and them. I was to deal with one thing and one thing only – my own deceived heart, which was ensnared in unforgiveness, jealousy and bitterness. Note; Sadly, like a Pharisee, my heart was totally convinced of its innocent and righteous position. I wanted a trial where justice would be served. I knew with a jury of my peers I would be exonerated of all guilt in these matters!)
Again, like a beast who had forgotten that God was his judge, I was either unwilling or unable to see these things until I obeyed my mandate to make peace with all men (well…. at least two people to start with). It is not the time to retell the account of those reconciliations but suffice it to say that they happened within weeks of receiving the 12:18 Romans mandate.
It was an astonishing watershed affair to experience God pouring his grace and mercy into one circumstance after another, especially into my parched soul. So, what launched this turn about?I believe it was because the Lord had never taken his hand off of my life and that as I reached up for his help, He was waiting and ready to deal with the root issues that were playing out in so many unhealthy ways in my life. When I determined to obey, something alive began growing once again in my heart. I could then acknowledge, with Asaph, with great confidence….
Nevertheless I am continually with You; You have taken hold of my right hand. With Your counsel You will guide me, and afterward receive me into glory.
Though I have truly despised the misery of soul brought on by testings and trials, I would not alter my past history with God even if I could. Without coming to the end of my rope, body, souls and spirit, I would not have known first hand that God is faithful to be there when the crash occurs. Really, what could I possibly exchange for the value of coming to personally know God’s love and faithfulness in the form of the severe mercies He permitted to touch me. Without these chapters in my story, how could I have ever come to proclaim with Asaph….
Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Was my suffering just the reaping of what I had sowed? Or, was this a customized cross designed to put to crucify certain aspects of my personality that were, in their own way, killing me? I confess, I do not know the precise answers to these questions. I strongly suspect both are true. I believe at all times and in all ways, (especially in the darkest moments) the Lord is faithful to His Word and that truly all things can work toward our good if we just follow Him and are willing to obey. This messy spirituality has culminated in my ability and willingness to say (in spite of my perceptions and feelings)….
But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell of all His works.
Obedience in this circumstance required that I let go (die to) my right to justice on my terms. (Oh, I cannot tell you how contrary to my desires this was.) Whether I am theologically accurate on this or not I do not know, but this type of dying is what I perceive Jesus called us to do when He commanded that we take up our crosses, deny ourselves and follow Him.
Lessons learned? As far as it concerns us, God wants us to take responsibility for our own hearts. We are to watch over our own motives, dreams and ambitions with all diligence. We aren’t called to do this for others. God will make far more headway with them anyway when we let Him be Lord by letting go of our judgements against them. This will do both their hearts and ours worlds of good.
In the evening of that day when I made restitution from my heart with the second party, God met my wife and I in a supernatural way involving prophecy – something I had seen sorely abused (and even have since). Imperfect as prophecy can be , I heard the Lord say that evening some things through people that could have only come from the One who searched men’s hearts.
That evening I was given a prophetic word that God was going to return to me the borrowed axe head that had been dropped into the river; that when it was recovered it would be mine exclusively. (from 2 Kings 6:1-7). He acknowledged that this passage just dropped into his mind (much like the Romans passage had in mine); that he had no earthly clue what it meant; that he was just the messenger. Like Mary, I held that word in my heart, wondering what it might mean.
Although I had no ambition to reclaim my rightful place of inheritance as a first born son, it was accomplished in spite of me. Allow me to explain. The extreme pressure of this season revealed that my so-called righteous motives were co-mingled with the self preservation motives I had worked out along the way to protect my heart from feelings of rejection that my Dad provoked. My vow to never work for my Dad, when honestly restated was, “Over my dead body, will I ever, by God, let that man hurt me with his rejection again in any way or form!”
I was in relationship with God but if I was going to go on with Him as a disciple, I had to break this vow, return to my earthly father and see how life would play out in a place and in relationships I had fled from my whole life. If Jesus was to be Lord, things beneath the surface, like inner vows and roots of bitterness could not be allowed to drive my life as the father of lies would have had them do.
Without it being at the forefront of my conscious ambition, God arranged that I would be the heir to that construction company. I served as its president for the better part of the last two decades. God prospered it under my leadership. Favor has relentlessly followed me in this unlikely, unanticipated chapter of my life. More importantly, love prevailed in that a son and a father reconciled much of the wreckage of their non-existant relationship. My father accepted Christ just before he died of cancer in 2002. The borrowed axe head indeed became mine. Even greater applications of this prophecy are accruing to my heart as I have also walked more deeply in my own identity in Christ. Indeed, He has done exceedingly abundantly and beyond my wildest expectations.
This is why I reject doctrines that excuse believers from suffering, trials, tests and discipline. While they admittedly provoke some fear and trembling, none of these words have negative connotations to me. Without them, I do not believe my story ends up where everyone lives happily ever after (as they have and as I believe God has intended).
Father, indeed you would have us to hear Your counterintuitive words of deliverance. Oh Lord permit our trials to break our hard and darkened hearts such that Your redemptive power and light would pour in, setting us free from all things that would blunt our understanding of the ways of Your Love. Liberate us from our delusions of our own righteousness. Break us down Lord that our only foundation is You. Proceed ahead Lord and create in us clean hearts that give You Your rightful place as Lord in every facet of our lives. All for the sake of Your beautiful and glorious name and Your unending kingdom. Amen.
